The Game
by SqueakGirl
Summary: Joey tries to comprehend a mind game Tristan has taught him.


**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters. They belong to Kazuki Takahashi**

**The Game  
**

"…when you think about it you lose."

"Yeah, but, _how do ya play?"_

"You don't play anything, stupid, you just don't think about it."

"Then how the hell do ya know when you're winnin'?"

"By not thinking about it! How many times do I need to explain this?"

Joey ran a hand through his blond hair irritably. "But when do ya win?"

Tristan let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. His palms met his face in frustration. He had thought it amusing at first: tricking Joey into playing The Game. However, it was proving more of a hassle then a good laugh. Tristan had never considered how thick Joey could actually be. Tristan had spent the first half of his afternoon break trying to explain to his friend the rules, but poor Joey just didn't comprehend.

"Look," Tristan began, straightening his chair and leaning over his desk, "The Game is not that hard to get. I'll say the rules one more time, m'k? Rule one: You are now playing The Game. Rule two: You cannot think about The Game. And rule three: If you think about The Game you have to announce that you thought about it and that means you lose. Understand?"

Joey had closed his eyes and was nodding his head each time Tristan mentioned one of the rules. He looked as if he understood.

"You get it?"

"_But how do ya win_?"

Tristan's head fell flat onto his desk with a dull, heavy thud. He made a sad dismayed noise in his throat which sounded like a dying cat.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Tristan laughed. "God, you're hopeless."

The blond rose out of his desk knocking his chair to the floor as he did so. His temper rose too. "Well, your game sucks. It don't make no sense. Ya can't win it. And who wants to play a game like that. I bet ya made the whole thing up just ta mess wit me."

With that said Joey stormed out of the classroom. Tristan shook his head in frustration.

"Idiot."

***

Out in the hall, Joey fumed. "How can ya win a game you don't know how to think about? Stupid Tristan."

Several students had to sidestep the blond's wide and angry gait as he charged down the hall. He paid little attention to where his feet took him until with a loud 'thunk' he ran right smack into someone's back.

He stumbled backwards clutching his chin.

"Son of a bi-"

"Oh, Joey! I'm terribly sorry. Didn't see you there," stammered Bakura rubbing at the sore spot on the top of his head.

"Uh-yeah-. No harm done, man," Joey shrugged.

"Oh well, I'll be on my way-" Bakura began

Joey had an idea. "Hey, Bakura," Joey said with a slight grin. "You, uh, lost The Game."

"What game would that be, Joey? I was not aware we had started one?" Bakura stated with polite curiosity.

"No, ya see I made ya lose The Game. Cause I told youse about it. You are thinking of it right now. So you lost. And I won. See?" Joey explained haphazardly.

Bakura blinked. "So it's like the White Bear Phenomenon?"

"Nyeh?" Joey made an incomprehensible noise of confusion. Bakura often spoke of strange things.

"The White Bear Phenomenon which demonstrates the difficulty one has in suppressing thought," Bakura explained. "For example don't think of a polar bear. What are you thinking about right now?"

"Uh…a polar bear," Joey confessed.

"Precisely!" Bakura exclaimed cheerily. "I say, Joey, this 'game' of yours sounds quite intriguing now. To try and catch one's opponent in a type of mind game is a rather difficult endeavor, especially when one has to strive to not think of 'the game' as well. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah, sure. Um…I'm gonna go now," Joey replied looking stupefied.

"Alright, then. Good luck with your game!" And with a smile Bakura turned and continued on down the school hallway.

Joey stood stupidly gawking at the empty space Bakura had left. He was still trying to catch up in the conversation he had just had and mull over all that Bakura had told him. However, that was proving a bit too difficult. All Joey kept thinking about was a polar bear out on an iceberg playing Duel Monsters, but forgetting the cards it had placed out on the field.

"Heh, polar bears playin' Duel Monstas, that's somethin' else. I should go tell Yug' about that," Joey chuckled to himself.

Joey decided to head back to the classroom. It was empty now except for one person: Seto Kaiba. Just the sight of the blue-eyed young man pissed Joey off, but he strove to ignore the impulse to sling any insults.

Trying to make his way calmly if not a bit jerkily back towards his desk, Joey had to pass right by Kaiba. The young man had been reading a book, but when Joey drew near his desk Kaiba paused and looked up. He sneered and reached a hand into his school jacket pocket.

"Here, Wheeler, this is for you," Kaiba said quietly, extending his hand out. He held a small piece of paper folded crisply.

Joey snatched it roughly away from him. "Yeah, what's this, Kaiba? A confession to money launderin'? I bet that's how youse really made your millions."

"Just read the note, mutt."

Joey carefully unfolded the innocuous slip of paper. He did so slowly. One could never be too careful when it came to Seto Kaiba. Inside the paper the surface was completely blank except for four words written in Kaiba's tight, neat scrawl:

_**You lost the game.**_

Joey stood for a minute rereading the words. And then it hit him. Now he understood fully what Tristan had tried to teach him, and understood especially the polar bear story Bakura had been babbling on about. He thought about The Game therefore he had lost it.

And that asshole Kaiba was the one who made him lose.

"YOU BASTARD! I was startin' to forget it till now! And I jus' figured out I wasn't suppose to think about it in the first place!" Joey roared his fists clenched.

"Honestly, Mutt, I'm surprised you lost The Game," Kaiba stated matter-of-factly.

"Nyeh? Really, moneybags?" Joey dropped his raised fists with a deflated look.

"Yes, after all, the second rule requires one not to think, and that's something you excel at effortlessly."


End file.
